Let's Show Some Respect ...

... when Atlanta's Bobby Cox comes to The Bank for the final time in the regular season later this month.

The Florida Marlins didn't give Bobby Cox so much as a PA announcement this weekend, becoming the only team thus far this season not to recognize Cox's impending retirement after all those years at the helm of the Braves and Blue Jays.  To me, that seems petty.  Yes, it's a divisional rival, but we're talking about one of the greatest managers in MLB history.

Surely, the Marlins recognize that.  And, yes, Cox did talk some smack back when the Fish canned their manager, but that's understandable for two reasons: a) Cox was a mentor of the Marlins' skipper, b) the way the Marlins did it, as they do everything else, was particularly classless.  But regardless, ignoring Cox's accomplishments and his career is childish, petulant, and unprofessional.

So, even though we're embroiled in a heated pennant race with the Braves, and we'd never, ever cheer for them, I hope that both the fans, as well as the Phillies' organization, are classy and respectful towards Bobby in his final series in Philadelphia.  I know we take the rap for being "bad" fans, but too many people mistake passion for ignorance.  But no amount of explaining Philadelphians' behavior will suffice if neither the team, nor its fans, are as classless as the Marlins were this weekend.

We hate the Braves.  Finished behind them a lot during their 14-year run.  But as baseball fans, let's make sure we do what we have always done ... recognize greatness in all its forms, no matter the opponent.

Let's give Bobby Cox a rousing ovation, and acknowledge that while we don't like his team, we understand that we have been witness to one of the greatest managers to ever grace the game.

Order up!